He Buys Me Roses
by simplysimpre
Summary: She has grown older and the children have left. At least he still buys her flowers.


**I might go back and change a few parts.**

* * *

They were the ideal couple. Every woman in the neighborhood would peek outside their window every evening to watch Carlisle bring home a fresh new bouquet of roses. Despite being in his forties, his skin remained smooth and his smile was as charming as ever. He was loved. After all, when he spoke, his words were sweet. However, that was it.

He always spoke to her sweetly and kissed her goodbye every morning as he left the bed as quietly as possible as to not rouse her. However, when she would try to talk to him over dinner, he was distant. He would eat and nod but remained quiet. The moment they were finished, he would kiss her on the head and wash the dishes. Afterwards, he would retreat to his office while she was left alone in front of the television. There she would sit gazing at the flashing screen until her eyes grew weary.

Their children had all left, all five of them. Esme was still young but she was never able to conceive. When they adopted their children, they were in their late twenties, but their children were all in their teens. All of them were married but Edward. Edward was always Carlisle's favorite. He was the least outgoing of all their children. While the others would all play baseball down at the field, Edward would stay home, reading in Carlisle's library. Edward was also the least affectionate child. She had tried to connect with him but she always found him a bit cold.

He didn't smile much, unless Carlisle was around. It always made her feel a bit left out, but what could she expect? Edward was seventeen when they got him and he was their last foster child. He had moved out the minute he found a job. It had hurt her but she accepted it. Carlisle still went to visit him every weekend and occasionally brought back pictures. In all of them, Edward smiled, something he was unable to do in any of their family portraits. His face was smooth and bright and his red hair framed his pale face.

* * *

It was the weekend and like always, Carlisle was in Seattle visiting Edwards with promises of pictures and souvenirs. He had stayed over the night before because of the long trip. She was at the local farmers market when she saw a few women from her cooking class. They were younger than her by quite a few years and dressed in light sundresses and shawls despite the gloomy weather. Not in the mood to converse, she turned away, only to be stopped by mocking laughter.

"I can't believe he's still married to her! Didn't you see her last week? Her hair is turning gray."

When Esme turned around to look at the group, she only saw tanned legs and backs, all looking at a stall of berries. In relief, she let out a breath and went back to browsing the produce.

"I know! I don't get why he would stay with someone like her. Her wrinkles are starting to show."

One of the women scoffed, "Wrinkles? You mean those cracks in her face? No amount of skin cream can save her now."

"I heard she gets mud masks at the spa weekly. Too bad it isn't helping much."

"Ugh... if only I could get a man that would allow me to go to the spa every week..."

"Don't worry, at least you aren't as big as her."

"You would have assumed she gave birth to five children with a body like hers. It's easy to tell those children aren't hers."

With laughter roaring behind her, she grabbed her basket and ran as quickly as she could back to her car. On the way home, she couldn't breathe. When she reached the house, she noticed that Carlisle's car was back along with someone else's. Ashamed of the tears that were dripping down her cheeks, she parked the car and made her way to the back of the house. Again, laughter rung in her ears as she climbed the stairs.

In the frames that lined the hall, she saw their wedding photos. She was no longer the woman Carlisle married. The woman Carlisle married had long auburn hair and a bright smile. She had wispy arms and a delicate chin. Her skin was clear and glowing. She would tend the garden and welcome him home with hugs and kisses. Now he rarely touched her other than for a kiss and even then, only his lips hardly grazed hers.

Carlisle's office door was left ajar and she crept in, looking for somewhere to hide. It had been years since she had been in the room and it nearly looked the same as she remembered it. Pictures of their children sat on Carlisle's desk and heavy bookshelves lined the walls. Only a small window let in some light.

The pictures were mostly pictures of their children when they were younger, along with one or two photos taken at their weddings. In the center of the desk sat the pile of promised pictures. All of them were just Edward. Most of the time, he seemed unaware of the camera. There were pictures of him cooking, cleaning, walking, and doing menial everyday chores. In all of them, there was an obvious smile on his face as if he couldn't possibly be more content with his life.

* * *

After she cleared her face, she walked back down to see Rosalie and Emmett sitting in the living room with Carlisle and Edward across from them. They smiled as they saw her come down.

Rosalie was grinning wide as she ran to hug her. Esme couldn't stop seeing the absolute adoration in Emmett's eyes as he looked at his wife.

"Esme! I'm pregnant! I'm going to be a mom!"

"That's great, Rose."

Behind Rosalie she saw Carlisle beaming at her with one of his arms draped over Edward's shoulder, "Isn't it great Esme? You get to be a grandmother now!"

She bit down on her lip and tried to smile. Edward was looking down at the coffee table and playing with his fingers. He rarely, if ever looked at her. She watched as Carlisle nudged him, bringing out a small smile on the boy's face. She yearned for his touch but pushed the feeling aside. Rosalie squeezed her one last time before letting go. A grandmother at forty... On the table sat a bouquet of yellow flowers. At least he still got her roses.


End file.
